It's always a thrill when I get a chance to drive a
brand-new vehicle. It's even a greater thrill when the vehicle
is outstanding, and the venue for the drive is equally
outstanding.

Such was the case with the new BMW 645Ci coupe and
convertible. Both vehicles signify BMW's re-entry into the
luxury sport coupe and convertible markets. True, BMW markets
sport coupes and convertibles, and even four-seaters. The 3
Series-based convertibles and coupes are among my favorite
BMWs.

But these two cars are situated between BMW's 5 Series and 7
Series, as you might expect from the nomenclature. However, no
body panels are shared with either series vehicles. The only
similarities are the 4.4-liter V8 engine, which is available in
the 5 or 7, and iDrive, available on the 7.

We drove the new BMWs in the hills and canyons north of Los
Angeles, and I can't think of a better venue for these
vehicles. Our ride took us on a side trip to BMW's Designworks,
where these and other BMWs are designed. This was an
interesting experience as we were able to meet with the
designers and experience the atmosphere where they are sketched
and modeled.

But driving the new 6 Series vehicles is what is the
greatest thrill. Both have excellent power coming from the
4.4-liter V8. The engine is rated at 325 horsepower and 330
lb-ft of torque. The power enabled us to achieve highway speeds
and maintain them, no matter how fast California drivers chose
to drive. The torque enabled us to negotiate the mountain
curves (and some of them were tight hairpins) easily without
having to constantly downshift to reach a better rpm range.

Our test vehicles were fitted with two of the available
three six-speed transmissions available. We drove a coupe with
a 6-speed automatic with Steptronic function that enabled us to
shift manually if we chose. Our convertible was equipped with
the 6-speed manual, which was fine, except when we were stuck
in traffic for an hour, moving just feet at a time.

Also available is a Sequential Manual Gearbox (SMG) that is
controlled by paddles mounted on the steering wheel. There is
no clutch, and the driver can either select "D" for Drive or
"S" for Sequential, shifting up or down with the paddles. We
didn't have a chance to drive one of these vehicles.

The styling of the new 6 Series coupe and convertible is
aerodynamic, but both cars are definitely BMWs. They
incorporate the traditional BMW "twin-kidney" grille, long
hoods and shortened tails. The tails aren't quite as short as
in the Z cars, which, to me, gives them better proportions.

Inside, the seats are comfortable, and the rear seats, while
not commodious, are adequate for adults.

Besides excellent engine power, the 6 Series vehicles are
also equipped with Active Steering, which makes driving on
twisting roads much more pleasurable. No matter what the angle
of turn, there is never any need to take both hands from the
steering wheel (in some cases it was necessary in order to have
something to hold on to). Active Steering takes over, modifying
the amount of power assist depending on the amount needed.

Handling was superb, with a flat cornering attitude on all
roads, and a comfortable ride on Interstates and longer runs.
BMW has achieved a good balance with these cars.

Often, a coupe and convertible based on the same platform
will have different characteristics. Prime among these is a
flexible chassis in the convertible. In the 645Ci convertible
there is no appreciable body flexing, and the feeling to the
driver and passenger is one of solidity. With the cloth top up,
it's hard to tell which car you're in. The top goes down or up
with the push of one button.

Trunk capacity is compromised somewhat with the convertible.
While the coupe's trunk measures at 13.0 cubic feet, the
convertible's is rated at 12.4 cubic feet with the top up, 10.6
with it lowered. Two large golf bags fit in both at all times,
though.

Our biggest (and actually only) complaint with the cars was
iDrive. While this is an excellent innovation for controlling
the audio, climate control, navigation and monitoring
functions, it is simply too difficult to understand
intuitively. Both my co-drive and I decided to forgo using
iDrive and didn't listen to the radio or change the climate
controls. Of course, with the top down, we didn't have to worry
about the climate on a warm, sunny day.

Neither BMW 6 Series vehicle is inexpensive. Both are
excellent vehicles, however, that are worth what BMW is asking.
You can add more than $10,000 in options and still have a
vehicle that is no better than the standard. For example,
standard equipment includes either the manual or
automatic/Steptronic transmission, sport suspension, active
roll stabilization, sport steering wheel, Xenon adaptive
headlights, and leather upholstery. Nothing else is really
necessary.

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